In typical popcorn machines designed for commercial popcorn production, thermostats are used to control the popping cycles of high output kettles. More particularly, feedback from the thermocouples is used to control heating elements and heat the kettles and corn kernels therein at rates that prevent burning and yet ensure that the corn kernels pop. The controlled cooking cycle in these high output kettles can produce consistent and high-quality popcorn. In previous designs of continuous popcorn machines, attempts to produce popcorn of similar quality have been unsuccessful.
In kettle-based popcorn machines, various flavorings and coatings can be added to the kettle to produce flavored or coated popcorn (e.g., kettle corn). However, in popcorn machines employing rotating mesh drums or other flow-through or continuous popping systems (e.g., auger driven popcorn machines), flavorings or coatings typically must be added after the popping process is completed and the popcorn has been removed from the popping container. In particular, flavorings or sugar coatings added to machines employing mesh drums or existing auger driven systems can result in accumulation of the ingredients within the drum, auger, or associated components that prevents proper operation of the machine. For example, sticky flavorings can accumulate in components of these machines and, absent time consuming and costly cleaning, prevent rotation of the components or significantly reduce heat transfer between heating elements of the machine and the ingredients.